Impossibly Familiar
by Bluefeathermuse
Summary: "What is it about her that's so wonderfully, impossibly familiar?" It's Marichat May! Semi-connected drabbles for Marinette and Chat Noir, one for each day in the month of May.
1. Cat Tendencies

**Quick Info~**

Joining the ML fandom has been quite an experience thus far! All of the fanart and fanfiction and just general positivity for the show is something seriously incredible! So, after browsing the ML tag on tumblr, I came across something called "Marichat May." The prompts are absolutely adorable and, before I knew it, this collection of drabbles was born! I'm a little bit behind as we are already 14 days into May, but better late than never, right? Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy what I've got so far! Feel free to let me know what you liked, what you didn't, what you're hoping for in the future, etc.

* * *

 **Drabble 1: Cat Tendencies**

The first thing that Marinette noticed was that Chat Noir loved to cuddle…when it was convenient for _him_. She hadn't thought much of any correlations between a real cat and Chat as a person, since she didn't have any tendencies to eat aphids or crawl around on people's fingertips when she was Ladybug. And yet every time he was in the mood to cuddle, it was like he was the perfect representation of a pompous feline.

Chat stuck to cat-related puns when he was with Ladybug. _Marinette,_ however, was an entirely different story. He'd bust in through her balcony, practically purring and rubbing up against her legs when he was ready to cuddle. It didn't matter if she was doing homework, working on a new design, talking to Alya on the phone, or even—God forbid—stalking Adrien's latest modeling photos online. Chat Noir wanted to cuddle! And, like any cat, that meant _right now._

"Please, Princess?" He shot her the biggest grin he could muster and clasped his hands together in front of him.

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Not right now, Kitty. I'm sorry, but I've got a lot of work to do. There's this new history assignment coming up and I don't know anything about Ancient Rome and if I work really hard then I might finally get paired up with Adrien for the group presentat—"

Chat wasn't having it. Before she could finish her long-winded sentence, he had already scooped her up into his arms and was carrying her towards her bed.

"You need to learn how to relax every once in awhile," he said, setting her down gently on the comforter and tapping her nose with one clawed finger.

Marinette sighed and flopped backwards. There was no way she was getting out of this today. Chat snuggled up beside her, waiting for her fingers to tangle themselves in his hair so he could nap.

It seemed like time refused to slow down for him most days. If he didn't have school, then he had a modeling shoot, and if it wasn't modeling, then it was piano practice, Chinese, fencing, homework, or eating. And those were just the things that Adrien had to finish. His duties as Chat Noir were even more extensive and rigorous. So sleep wasn't a luxury that he got often, and when he did, sleeping in his own empty house was just as lonely as it was when he was awake.

But Marinette's room was bright and always smelled like some sort of baked good. He could hear her parents talking and laughing downstairs. There was always something going on at her house, and he preferred to fall asleep to the sound of clattering baking trays over dead silence any day.

"Chat," Marinette started tentatively.

He opened one eye quizzically and mumbled a sleepy, "Mmm?"

"You're right," she continued. "I do need to relax. So, maybe this time, we could… I mean, if you want to… We could cuddle, umm, together?"

Chat's bright green eyes lit up even brighter, if that was at all possible. He smiled slyly, a Cheshire smile that meant his mind was most definitely tossing around thousands of different mischievous ideas.

"You're not falling for me, are you?" he asked, tipping her chin towards him with his thumb.

Marinette pushed him away and scoffed. "Don't get so ahead of yourself, Kitty. Everyone needs a little cat nap once in awhile."

Chat Noir nodded. She was undeniably adorable when her nose crinkled up like that, making her freckles clump together and her bluebell eyes squint. If he wasn't so enamored with Ladybug, then maybe Marinette could be…

No. Ladybug was his one and only. Just like Marinette's heart belonged to Adrien. It didn't matter if Chat was Adrien because Marinette didn't see it that way.

So when he rested his head on her pillow and inhaled the faintest scent of apple shampoo and cookies, he tried not to think about what it would be like to frequent her bedroom in the future. And when she laid her head on his chest and snuggled up next to his heart, he tried not to think about how fast it was beating.

"Chat?" Marinette asked after a moment, her voice airy and garbled the sleepier she got.

"Yes, _Purr_ incess?"

"We should take cat naps together more often." She offered him a closed-eyed, lopsided smile.

Chat found himself sinking more comfortably into the sheets at her comment. Her pillows were just so soft and her breathing was so even and she felt like the very essence of calm in his crazy world. Yes, they would most definitely make this a little tradition.

"Whatever your heart so desires," he breathed, letting a content sigh slip through his lips as he closed his eyes.


	2. Denial

**Quick Info~**

A huuuuge thank you to everyone that has checked this out so far! I'm bummed that the review section on this site isn't working right now for some reason, but as soon as its fixed, I'll be able to reply back to all of you and thank you personally! Anyway, here is the next Marichat drabble! This one is a little bit longer and it isn't as direct as the first prompt. I quite like it, though, so I hope you all enjoy it too!

* * *

 **Drabble 2: Denial**

"The similarities are hard to ignore," Alya whispered, tapping a pencil fervently against the desk as her free hand rummaged through her backpack for her tablet.

"Chat Noir and Adrien are nothing alike!" Marinette whispered back harshly. "Arien is just so—"

Alya waited for the inevitable sigh, followed by fluttering eyelashes and an expression so glazed that it put even the finest donuts to shame.

"—well, _Adrien,_ " she continued, her cheek slumping in her palm as she stared at the back of his head dreamily. Then, she balled her hands into fists on the desk and her lilting tone soured. "And Chat Noir is just so, well, _Chat Noir._ "

"You know you didn't really say anything, right?" Alya deadpanned.

Marinette sighed. Just because she couldn't convey the difference between the two to Alya, didn't mean it wasn't blatantly there. Yes, Alya didn't spend her free time jumping off of rooftops and enduring a barrage of flirtatious puns with Chat like Marinette did. But as the founder and writer of _Ladyblog_ , it was Alya's duty to know about Chat Noir's characteristics, too. Characteristics that, mind you, were not even close to the sweet passiveness Adrien displayed on a daily basis.

"You're not even considering it as a possibility," Alya continued once they were finally out of class.

Marinette was leaning against Alya's locker, scanning the hallways to try and say hello to Adrien while only half-listening to Alya's crazy conspiracy theory.

"That's because it isn't one," Marinette said simply.

"Come on, Marinette!" Alya closed her locker with a loud _slam_ , forcing Marinette to jump and pay full attention to her. "Aren't you just the least bit curious?"

If Marinette was being honest with herself, then she would have to answer yes. There were numerous times that she and Chat came close to revealing their identities to one another. But in the end, she always decided that it was a line they simply couldn't cross. It didn't matter who they were as civilians because they weren't fighting crime together as civilians. Chat was just Chat and Ladybug was just Ladybug. Still…just because Ladybug had no desire to know didn't technically mean that Marinette had to be just as nonchalant about it.

Alya must've caught on to Marinette's mental battle because her lips broke out into a wide smile and she was already planning their next mode of operation.

"I can't believe I'm about to do this," Marinette groaned as Alya dragged her by the wrist out of the school with a triumphant smile plastered on her face.

* * *

"If Chat is Adrien, then that means he's got to be a natural model, right?" Alya said, opening the camera app on her phone and biting her lower lip mischievously as she peered off of the balcony attached to Marinette's bedroom.

"I guess," Marinette squeaked, remembering all of the photo shoots Adrien was a part of.

The 'Baby it's Cold Outside' Christmas sweater edition. The 'Too Cool but Still Hot' summer swimsuit edition. And Marinette's secret favorite, the 'Please Don't Stare' Agreste-guaranteed-quality underwear edition.

"Girl, you in there?" Alya asked, waving a hand in front of Marinette's dreamy eyes.

"Oh, what?" Marinette blinked away the daydream and placed her hands over her cheeks to hide her obvious blush.

"You're hopeless," Alya said, shaking her head but managing a giggle anyway. "I was trying to tell you that, since you seem to hang out with Chat Noir more than most people, I thought I could try and get you two to pose for a photo shoot for the _Ladyblog_ together."

Pose with Chat? For Alya's blog? As _Marinette?_ Marinette didn't have a single charismatic bone in her body when she wasn't wearing a red spandex onesie! How did Alya expect her to move her arms or legs (or however she was going to pose) in a way that didn't look like she was a robot?

Thankfully, Alya seemed to be reading her mind once again. "Don't worry. You don't have to take it so seriously. Besides, I've got an idea or two if the modeling doesn't pan out."

* * *

"Chat Noir, the sweetheart under the swag," Alya said enthusiastically, spreading her hand across the air as if she were touching a headline as she read it out loud.

"Princess, what's the point of this again?" Chat Noir whispered to Marinette as Alya began to ready the camera.

He thought that he was going to visit Marinette for another cuddle session. It had been a long day at school and the only thing he wanted to do was curl up with her, tease her a little bit, and listen to quiet music as they fell asleep together. But Alya was over when he stopped by, and he couldn't exactly say no to the person giving him and his precious Ladybug so much positive publicity.

Marinette shrugged. "She wanted to do a segment on you for once."

"Get together you two! Chat, hold Marinette's hand or cradle her face or something. Just do something cute!" Alya instructed, holding out her phone eagerly as they waited.

Marinette quickly realized that she wasn't sure what they were waiting for. It wasn't like Adrien sparkled when he started posing, despite what she might've pictured. And even if Chat Noir had some talent, it didn't prove that he was Adrien. Lots of people modeled, after all.

"Just look at me and smile that purrfect smile, okay?" Chat instructed as he slowly turned her cheek towards him.

He towered over her in a way that she never quite realized before. As Ladybug, the height difference wasn't all that noticeable when they were constantly moving around. But standing still like that, with his piercing green eyes hovering over her, she felt absolutely puny in comparison. Puny, and kind of…warm?

"Great! You two are doing great!" Alya said, snapping pictures in all different kinds of angles, completely oblivious to the bubbling tension between them.

Chat seemed like he was getting closer the longer they stood there. She could feel his hot breath fanning out against her cheeks and she could smell his dark, musky cologne. It made her feel dizzy as her gaze dropped to his lips. A sly grin bearing a pointed tooth smiled down at her and, for a second, it seemed like he was going to…

"Alright, time to take it up a notch!" Alya said, cutting Marinette's train of thought in half and bringing her right back to the mission at stake.

Alya took a feather out of her backpack and shot Marinette a mischievous grin. What was she planning on doing with that?

"If we want to show off Chat Noir's sensitive side, he should have some sort of quirky weakness," she explained, handing the feather to Marinette and readying the camera again. "Pretend to tickle him with that feather, Marinette."

Chat froze and Marinette looked at the feather in horror. So _that_ was what Alya meant by having a backup plan. Ladybug knew that Chat was allergic to feathers and Marinette knew that Adrien was, too. But just because they both had the same allergy didn't mean they were the same person. Right?

"Alright, action!" Alya called.

Marinette fought back staring up at him with apologetic eyes for what she was about to do. She lightly brushed the feather against his suit and waited for him to fake laugh or bat her hands away or something other than—

His breath hitched and he pitched forward with the inevitable sneeze. A second and third quickly followed, and Marinette took the feather away and hid it behind her back. Chat sniffed miserably and shook his head.

"Sorry," he said, shooting Alya and Marinette an apologetic grin. "I'm allergic to feathers. Probably should've said that first."

"Interesting," Alya said. "Hey, Marinette, remember that Adrien is allergic to feathers, too?"

Marinette felt her face flush. That was something she wanted to forget. Even though she was ecstatic that she won the contest, she wasn't happy subjecting the love of her life to such misery.

"It's a pretty common allergy," Chat said, shrugging.

Alya opened her mouth to protest, but right before she could get the words out her cellphone started to ring.

"Hello? Oh yeah, I totally forgot! Okay, I'm sorry. I'll be right there!" Alya hung up the phone and quickly packed up her photo shoot supplies. "I completely spaced. I promised I'd help Nino on his journalism project."

"That's okay," Marinette said hurriedly. "I'll finish things up here."

"You will?" Chat asked, raising an eyebrow.

Marinette shot him a small, apologetic smile. Alya nodded and hurriedly made her way out of Marinette's balcony and down the stairs to the street.

"Sorry about all of that. She has some crazy idea that you're Adrien," Marinette said, dropping her gaze to the floor and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Were you curious, too?" Chat asked.

"I don't know. Maybe at first," Marinette admitted.

"Did that little experiment convince you?"

His voice was rushed, even tinged with worry. But Marinette didn't notice. She was far too busy feeling guilty for taking advantage of him like that.

"No. I mean, other people model and you even said that lots of people could have allergies," she said. "I'm sorry I even went along with any of it."

Chat simply chuckled and bent down towards her face again. "Well, I can tell you one thing for sure. If I was Adrien, I'd feel pretty lucky to have such a beautiful Princess as a classmate."

Marinette barely had time to register what he said before the searing blush spread across her cheeks again. Chat laughed, fully and loudly, before turning on his heel to leave.

Before he hopped off of her balcony and into the setting sun, he turned over his shoulder and said, "Make copies of the photos you took today. I need proof of the exact moment you started falling for me."

With a wink and a wave, he disappeared into the city, leaving Marinette standing on her balcony feeling even more confused and flustered than the last time she spoke to Adrien.


	3. Injury

**Quick Info~**

Does anyone know when FF is going to fix the problem with the reviews? I really want to reply to you guys! Anyway, this chapter is a little bit late as I was preparing for final exams and out looking for a summer job, but it's still the 16th in my timezone so I didn't forget to update today! This chapter has all of the feels that make up Marichat for me - a little bit of humor, a little bit of angst, and a little bit of sin. I hope you guys like it as much as I do! A giant thank you to everyone who has checked this out so far :) I love you guys!

* * *

 **Drabble 3: Injury**

Marinette was clumsy. She'd trip over the smallest pebble with a stack of books in her hands, run into walls that she swore looked further away, and drop an entire tray of freshly baked croissants onto the sparkly clean floor.

But despite these shortcomings, Marinette could at least prove (with some dignity) that she always contained the disaster zone within herself. Her skinned knees, swollen ankles, and bruised pride didn't affect anyone else.

At least, not until Chat Noir started hanging around.

Chat typically found himself taking a lot of the brute force from the akumatized villains he and Ladybug fought. He was used to bruised ribs and waking up as stiff as a board. But outside of combat, he never so much as got a scratch.

At least, not until Marinette was in the picture.

"I've got to say, this is definitely a first for me," Chat said, holding the tattered side of his suit between his fingers as he clutched at his ribcage.

"I'm so sorry! So, so, so sorry," Marinette stammered, running around her room like a chicken with it's head cut off in an effort to search for a first aid kit, a band aid, or even a damp cloth.

"Don't sweat it," Chat said, wincing as he attempted to give her a reassuring smile.

"How bad is it?" Marinette asked, stopping her frantic search to stare up at him with big, worried eyes.

The unexpected blush that crept up on his cheeks caught him off guard. Her eyes were just so sincere and so blue and so much like Ladybug's that he couldn't help it. He'd probably try and pull her in for a hug if his side wasn't so torn up.

"Can I see?" Marinette took his hand covering the injury and held it in her own so that she could get a better look.

Her free hand flew to her face to cover the gasp that escaped her lips. How could it have possibly gone so wrong so fast?

It was just a simple tussle in the beginning. Chat wanted to sneak downstairs and try the bakery's new cream cheese Danish pastry, but Marinette knew that her parents wouldn't take a liking to his sampling (hero of the city or not, her dad still had to make money somehow). Of course the only _sensible_ thing to do was to block the door, keeping Chat and his mischief out of the bakery. But Chat and his mischief could hardly be contained so easily, and he pompously attempted to force Marinette to let her guard down…by tickling her.

Marinette never described herself as ticklish, since the sensation that she felt inspired rage more than it did laughter. So the second that Chat Noir's hands found themselves on her stomach, she retaliated in order to avoid punching him in the face.

One thing lead to another and before they knew it, Chat had batted Marinette's hand away in an attempt to catch his breath, missing her skin entirely and digging too hard into his suit with his cat claws.

"You're bleeding!" Marinette gasped.

"Good thing I've got nine lives, right?" Chat joked.

But Marinette wasn't having it. Her bottom lip protruded into a frown, her eyes glued to the slashes in his skin.

"Hey, Princess," Chat said gently, reaching one hand out to cup her cheek and turn her gaze towards his eyes. "I'm okay."

His voice was a steady tenor and the words felt as though they had phased through her skin and reverberated in her chest. She felt ridiculous the longer she stared at his confident, smiling eyes. There she was blubbering and he was the one who was hurt. Ladybug would never let her emotions get the better of her like that. But Marinette on the other hand, far too frequently let her feelings take control.

Trembling fingertips ghosted over his skin and she could feel the warmth from his body before she even touched him. He grimaced preemptively, but Marinette didn't dare touch the scratches.

"Is there any way I can make this up to you?" she asked quietly, her eyes darting between his.

"Well, there _are_ those delicious looking cream cheese pastries just sitting on the countertop downstairs," he said, waggling his eyebrows at her.

"Your suit and skin are in ribbons and all you can think about is food?" Marinette asked incredulously.

Her attempt to sound irritated failed as soon as the corners of her lips tugged into a smile, and Chat knew he had her.

He flung himself into her arms dramatically and she staggered backwards to hold him upright.

"I just wanted a delicious Dupain-cheng pastry before I succumb to unconsciousness from this injury. But I understand if you can't give Paris' hero one tiny sample. Just leave me, leave me here to die, Marinette!"

Marinette couldn't help but giggle at his theatrics. He was sprawled across her limply, clutching her against his chest as he buried his head in the crook of her neck. If he wasn't being so goofy, the situation probably would've been a lot more intimate.

"Alright, Kitty," Marinette said, grunting as she pushed him off of her. "I'll get you one. But only because you're such a baby when you're hurt."

Chat beamed at her, a dazzling set of teeth that could nearly blind. As Marinette turned to get the pastry downstairs, she could feel the familiar blush burn her face again. He had been so close to her, and she could feel every inch of his toned body underneath that tight suit. She shook her head and stuck out her tongue. There was no way in hell that she was going to think about Chat Noir's body like _that_.

When she reappeared upstairs with the pastry in one hand and a first aid kit in the other, he was lounging on her bed, still covering his wound with one hand.

"If you promise to let me treat that injury, then you can have it," Marinette said, tempting him as she held the plate right underneath his nose.

The pastry looked warm and flaky with sweet, gooey cream cheese spread evenly in the middle. He hoped Plagg wouldn't jump right out of the ring at the smell.

Chat nodded and tried to keep from drooling like an idiot.

"Hold still," Marinette said. "This might hurt a little."

She was holding a damp cloth with a stinging smell that Chat unfortunately knew very well. Hydrogen peroxide. He scrunched up his nose and tried to distract himself by thinking about how good the pastry would taste, but as soon as the cloth touched his skin he nearly yelped.

"How does Ladybug deal with you sometimes?" Marinette asked, more to herself than to him.

"I wouldn't know. My Lady isn't exactly clumsy enough to put me in a situation like this," Chat teased.

Marinette scoffed, but chose not to retort. If only he knew, right? She finished bandaging his skin and then handed him the plate. The Danish was gone before Marinette could blink, the only traces of it in Chat's satisfied moans.

"Maybe you should change your name to Pig Noir?" Marinette teased back.

Chat smiled goofily at her, a lopsided grin that made her stomach drop clear into her toes and then up into her throat.

"If I really did have nine lives, that'd be kind of exciting, don't you think?" Chat mused, standing and moving closer to Marinette.

"Why's that?" she asked.

He smiled and bent down towards her face. She could feel his breath on her cheeks like that day at the photo shoot and she began to squirm in place as the same warm feeling rolled over her.

"Because in the next life I would have the pleasure of meeting you all over again," he whispered near her ear, making her shiver.

Marinette stood stunned. She felt a flurry of words rise up in her throat, none of which made sense and all of which would undoubtedly be stuttered out in an incoherent mess.

"I suppose now would be a good time to kick myself meow-t," Chat said, strolling towards the balcony with a satisfied grin on his face. "Maybe I'll stop by tomorrow and you can tear off more pieces of my suit?"

His signature wink and wave were lost on Marinette that day. All she could hear was his whisper in her ear. All she could feel was his warm skin. And all she could think about was how infuriatingly intoxicating it would be to meet him again for the first time.


	4. Protective Chat

**Quick Info~**

Ack, I missed one day! Thankfully, second semester will be over next week and I'll have a bit of a break before summer classes start. Anyway, I hope that you all enjoy this next chapter! Jealous Chat might be one of my new favorite things. Poor protective kitty. :3 A gigantic thank you to everyone reviewing/favoriting/following/reading! You guys make my heart soar! And now that the reviews are fixed I can get back to each one of you personally! (Also, side note, for any Nathanael fans out there, I felt bad putting him through this chapter)

* * *

 **Drabble 4: Protective Chat**

It was a harmless crush. One of those fleeting, flavor-of-the-week things, and Chat Noir knew that. But watching Nathanael walk Marinette to class made him feel strangely hollow inside. Like someone had scooped out all of his organs and left an empty shell.

Why, oh why did he have to patrol the city on this day of all days? If he was able to go to class as Adrien, then he could've stepped in. Instead, he was stuck watching her from the school's rooftop. Stuck watching Nathanael show her his latest sketches—all of her, of course. And stuck watching his precious Princess smile at the formerly akumatized Evillustrator.

And to make matters worse, the intensified senses he picked up when he was Chat made his hearing better than ever.

"So there's that dance coming up," Nathanael said. "You know, the masquerade one on top of the Eiffel tower?"

"Oh, yeah," Marinette said. "What about it?"

"Well, I was wondering if maybe…I mean, if no one else asked you yet, if you'd want to possibly, umm, go with me?"

Chat's stomach lurched. Marinette going to the dance with Nathanael? She'd say no. Surely she would. She was still hung up on Adrien, and obviously Chat knew that he hadn't asked anyone yet. And, yeah, if Chat was being honest then he also knew he wasn't planning on going in the first place. But Marinette was far too kind and caring to turn Nathanael down! She'd need an excuse to say no, and she'd need it fast.

Thankfully, the perfect excuse was eavesdropping in a leather cat suit just a few stories above them.

"Wow, fancy seeing you here, Marinette!" Chat said, draping one arm around her shoulder nonchalantly.

"Chat Noir?" Nathanael's mouth dropped open and he frantically looked around to see where Chat possibly could've appeared from.

Marinette sidestepped out from under his arm and blinked at him sardonically. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I was just here to ask if you knew what color your dress was going to be for the dance. We should probably match if we're going to go together," Chat said, smiling brightly at her.

"We're going to the dance toge—?" Marinette was quickly cut off by Chat pulling her into his arms in a tight hug.

"I didn't realize the two of you were an item," Nathanael said, his voice drooping as his hands fell to his sides.

"Yeah, my Princess and I like to keep things pretty quiet. Paparazzi and all that," Chat said, shrugging.

"Oh," was the only thing Nathanael could mutter before he trudged into the classroom and closed the door behind him.

Marinette wriggled out of Chat's grasp and stared at him exasperatedly. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she was examining his cheery expression with squinted, cynical eyes.

"You and I going to the dance together was enough of a surprise, but now we're a couple, too? Wow, I should really ask you more about what I've been up to these days. Apparently you know more about me than I know about myself!" Marinette laughed sarcastically, although there wasn't a single hint of humor on her face.

"I'm sorry, Princess," Chat said earnestly. "But I just noticed that he was going to ask you and I thought that… Well, I don't know."

"You're right. You don't know," Marinette said, her voice cracking ever so slightly. "I'm sure Nathanael is going to tell the whole school and now Adrien will never want to ask me!"

"Adrien isn't going to the dance," Chat said, and as soon as the words left his mouth he instantly wished he could retract them.

Marinette raised an eyebrow. "How could you possibly know that?"

Chat smiled sheepishly. He had to make up some sort of excuse and fast, or else Marinette would be onto him faster than a bloodhound on a criminal.

"Well, because, umm," Chat stuttered as he grasped for something, anything that would help him out. "He didn't even go to his own birthday party."

"What?" Marinette asked.

"When The Bubbler attacked it was at the Agreste house, but I didn't see Adrien anywhere," Chat said, mentally exhaling satisfactorily at his successful excuse.

Adrien was at that party, but Marinette realized that she hadn't seen him anywhere once Chat appeared. His example seemed fishy, but she was far too exhausted to call him out on it, and class was going to start any minute.

"Okay, well, why do you care if I go with Nathanael?" Marinette asked.

Chat seemed to shrink back at her words. He scratched his head and averted his gaze, awkwardly brushing one foot against the tiled floor.

"Well, he _was_ a previous Hawk Moth victim," Chat said lamely.

Was that really the best he could do? He couldn't just come out and tell her that seeing her with Nathanael was making him feel like someone was pouring acid straight into the pit of his stomach?

"So was Alya," Marinette argued.

"I know, but this is different," Chat insisted, feeling frustrated that she didn't just understand what he was trying to say.

"How?"

"I don't know!"

"Then I'm going to accept his invitation if you don't tell me why you—"

He could feel the fear bubbling away inside of him. His protective instinct kicking in. Jealousy.

So he did the only rational thing he could think of to stop her from walking through that classroom door. In one swift motion, he pulled her towards him and hugged her body to his own. His hands cradled the back of her head softly and he planted a slow, meaningful kiss to her forehead.

"Because I can't stand the thought of seeing you go with anyone else," he whispered.

He could feel Marinette freeze underneath him. He hadn't wanted to tell her. In fact, he felt like he might melt into a puddle of embarrassment right there on the floor if she didn't say something soon.

Chat Noir was a superhero. He was strong, feisty, and flirtatious. He was in love with Ladybug. But there was just something about Marinette that he couldn't seem to shake.

Being with her was the closest he would ever get to being Adrien while he was Chat. And unlike Ladybug, Marinette had time to relax and humor him. It wasn't always about beating Hawk Moth. It was about cuddling, and listening to music, and watching her relentlessly fret about every day, normal things. And it was about the way she always smiled at him, and the way that she smelled, and those big, blue eyes.

"Alright," Marinette said after what seemed like a millennium of silence.

Chat released his grip on her and blinked curiously. "Is 'alright' good or bad?" he asked tentatively.

Marinette smiled. "'Alright' means that I'll go to the dance with you."

"Really?" Chat's eyes lit up and the hollow feeling in his stomach quickly filled.

Marinette raised her eyebrows at him and giggled.

Chat cleared his throat and attempted to remain the nonchalant, cool cat he always tried to be. "I mean, I knew you'd fall for me."

Before Marinette had time to retort, the final bell rang loudly. Inside the classroom, her teacher was already passing out papers for the homework assignment and Marinette was going to be late.

"I have to go. I'll talk to you about the dance later, jealous Kitty." Marinette gave him a wink and a wave and disappeared into the classroom.

Chat stood in the hallway with flushed cheeks in disbelief, wondering just when she picked up that little departing habit he coined for himself.


	5. Protective Marinette

**Quick Info~**

Hey guys! I'm so excited for this next installment! Everyone always says to protect Adrien at all costs (which they're right about, of course) but Chat needs to be protected, too, no matter how badass he is. Thanks again to everyone reading! I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

* * *

 **Drabble 5: Protective Marinette**

"Ladybug is the real superhero!"

"Yeah, Chat Noir always gets knocked down in the first round."

"I bet that Ladybug could beat any bad guy all by herself!"

Marinette was trying to focus on her schoolwork. Really, she was. But the obnoxious group of juniors sitting at the picnic table adjacent to her were being loud and, well, obnoxious. She usually tried to tune out what her peers would say about Ladybug and Chat, but for some reason, that afternoon it felt like their words were pounding inside of her skull.

So she gathered up all of the courage she could muster and made her way to their table as casually as any clumsy teenager would. She strolled by slowly at first, trying to listen in on their now conveniently quiet conversation. She headed to a nearby trashcan and pretended to throw something away before walking back by the table.

"You know, Chat Noir might be the lamest superhero of all time!"

That was all it took. Marinette stopped in her tracks and turned to face the table with an incredibly cheesy, incredibly fake smile.

"Are you guys talking about Ladybug and Chat Noir?" Marinette asked.

One of the bigger boys—the one who insisted that Ladybug was the 'real' superhero—looked up at her disinterestedly.

"Yeah. What's it to you?" he asked gruffly.

Marinette smiled innocently again. "I couldn't help but overheard you guys saying that you think Ladybug could handle herself and that Chat Noir is lame. Is that right?"

The girl who claimed Chat's lameness rolled her eyes. "It's obvious he's just baggage thrown in for a little comedic relief or something."

"Well I happen to think that Ladybug couldn't do any of the miraculous things she does without Chat," Marinette said, her fake smile beginning to falter the angrier she got.

Marinette knew damn well that Ladybug needed Chat just as much as Chat needed her. They were a team through and through! Having one without the other was like trying to make spaghetti without the sauce. Yeah, you could still eat it, but it'd just be plain, boring noodles.

"We didn't ask for your opinion," the bigger guy scoffed. "And even if we did, you'd be in the minority. I know for a fact that everyone thinks Ladybug is cooler and I can prove it!"

"Oh yeah? You're on," Marinette challenged.

"Alright, but it's your loss. Hey, Adrien? Come over here for a second," the girl called, waving her hand in a conveniently-passing-by-Adrien's direction.

Marinette's stomach dropped. Why did they have to ask _Adrien_ of all people? How was she going to be able to prove her point with his gorgeous green eyes staring at her? She'd be lucky if she even uttered the words 'Chat Noir' correctly.

"What's up guys?" Adrien asked as he approached the table.

Marinette wanted to hide under a rock. He smelled so good. And his hair looked just a little bit puffier than it did normally. She'd have to make a mental note of that when she got home.

"Marinette is trying to tell us that other people honestly think Chat Noir is a contributing member of team Ladybug," the girl explained.

Adrien glanced at Marinette curiously before turning his attention back to the table. "Do you guys think he isn't?" he asked coolly.

"Well, yeah," one of the other boys piped up. "He gets his ass handed to him every time they fight and Ladybug has to clean up the mess."

"Did you guys ever think that maybe he takes the hit so Ladybug doesn't get hurt?" Adrien asked.

The group exchanged glances of varying expressions. Marinette wanted to shout her approval, but her tongue was tying itself into knots in her mouth. So she simply turned to Adrien with her cheeks ablaze and gave him a small, thankful smile.

"He's still a wimp," the bigger boy said.

"Not a wimp," Marinette said proudly. "A gentleman. I mean, umm, gentlecat?"

"Whatever," the girl said, shooing Adrien and Marinette away with her hand. "Should've known it was stupid to ask underclassmen."

Marinette practically high-tailed it back to her spot so that she could pack up and leave as quickly as possible. Gentlecat? What was she thinking? Certainly Adrien couldn't be a fan of puns as lame as hers!

"Marinette, wait up!" Adrien called.

She spun around and tried to casually tuck lose strands of hair behind her ear in a failed attempt to look cute and nonchalant at the same time. Chat Noir was pretty good at pulling that off, and she figured she must've learned a thing or two from him by now.

"You really think Chat Noir is a gentleman?" he asked.

"Oh. Umm, yeah," Marinette said, shrugging awkwardly. "I mean, not as much as you. Certainly not as gorgeous. I mean, because he's not a model, and you…err, you are a model so you know how to pose and look…good…and stuff."

Adrien blinked in confusion. "Umm, thanks? I-I think?"

There was an awkward silence that lasted long enough for Marinette to mentally smash her head into the wall a couple of times before Adrien finally spoke again.

"Well, I think you're pretty cool to stand up for him like that. Anyway, I've got to go. See you tomorrow!" he said, raising one hand before pulling out his phone and walking away with it pressed to his ear.

Marinette groaned and slumped back into her seat. How was she ever going to be able to talk to that boy?

* * *

"Well aren't you the cat's pajamas?"

The sound startled Marinette from her nearly sleeping state. She flung herself off of the bed and hit the floor with a loud _oomph_. Standing, she rubbed her elbow gingerly (it had taken most of the beating when she fell) and she peered out of the window to the balcony.

"Chat!" Marinette hissed. "It's almost three in the morning! What are you doing here?"

"Couldn't sleep." Chat shrugged. "Can I come in? I _purr_ omise it'll be really quick."

Arguing with Chat Noir was in Marinette's top three things she'd never do, along with professing her love to Adrien and letting Alya take her ice-skating. All three of those things involved a lot of frustration and unnecessary broken objects (whether it be her pride, her heart, or her bones).

So she walked over to the window and unhooked the lock to let him inside. He smiled at her brightly, although she could tell from the way that it didn't quite reach his eyes that he wasn't feeling as overly cheery as he usually did.

"What's up?" Marinette asked, sitting back down on the bed and letting out a wide yawn.

Chat sat beside her and rested his head on her shoulder. "Princess, do you think that Ladybug values me as a team member?"

Marinette's heart panged with guilt. After the conversation she had with the upperclassmen, she wondered if Ladybug was taking too much of the glory. And now that Chat had basically asked her the same question, she was convinced that was the case.

"Of course!" Marinette said. "Why do you think she wouldn't?"

Chat shrugged again and fell backwards onto her comforter. "I don't know. Just something a little birdy told me, I guess."

"Aren't you allergic to birds?" Marinette teased.

"Har har," Chat deadpanned. "At least you think I'm worth keeping around."

"It's not like you give me much of a choice," Marinette muttered, yet still remained ever-vigilant to keep a reassuring smile on her face. "You know that Ladybug would be lost without you, right?"

The way that she was talking to him was almost like he was hearing it straight from Ladybug herself. She sounded so sincere, so convinced; it was like she was reading Ladybug's thoughts. And it made Chat want to believe her.

He _needed_ to believe her.

"And for what it's worth, you've been such a constant in my life recently that I'd probably be lost without you, too," she said quietly.

Chat's eyes lit up at her comment and he grinned slyly. "Cat-nnot get enough of me, eh?"

"Don't push your luck, Kitty," Marinette said, nudging him sleepily.

"I should probably let you get back to sleep. You look like you're about to pass out on me," Chat said, chuckling as he watched her head bob a few times.

"Wait, Chat," Marinette mumbled as she crawled back underneath her covers. "Did you really come all of the way here to ask me that?"

Chat turned to smile at her, but her eyes were already shut tight.

"I guess I just wanted to look into your eyes when you told me you needed me," he murmured.

Marinette looked like she wanted to respond, but sleep was dragging her under faster than she could get the words out. So Chat slipped out her window and into the night, feeling warm inside despite the cold air.


	6. I Like Someone Else

**Quick Info~**

I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in a few days! Some pretty gnarly stuff is happening in my personal life at the moment, so I postponed writing the next update until I felt like I could give you guys the chapter you deserved. Hopefully you're still excited about this because I know I am! A huge thank you to everyone that has been checking this out. You guys are getting me through some of the hardest days of my life! And to the anon that asked about the update schedule, I was trying to update every day but I do not have a specific time or date that I upload. Whenever inspiration hits, that's when I write. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! (I put a different spin on this prompt than I've seen on other versions and I'm really stoked to see what you guys think)

* * *

 **Drabble 6: "I Like Someone Else"**

"I like someone else."

It might as well have been the shot heard 'round the world for all that Paris was concerned. Every cell phone, tablet, and computer were turned on and tuned in to the exclusive interview Alya had scored with Chat Noir for the _Ladyblog_.

It took a little bit of poking and prodding for Marinette to finally convince Chat that it was a good idea to agree to let Alya interview him. After the fiasco at school with the accusations that Ladybug was better off without Chat, Marinette was working overtime to make sure that everyone knew how much Paris and Ladybug needed him.

What she wasn't planning on, however, was for Chat to say something so incredibly off-script so early on in the interview.

"So you and Ladybug aren't an item?" Alya asked excitedly.

Marinette was standing behind the camera in shock. She was sure her jaw had hit the floor so fast that it was most likely broken, and, even though they couldn't hear anyone else from Marinette's secluded bedroom, the entirety of Paris must have taken a collective gasp along with her.

"Hold up, _Ladyblog_ fans," Alya said, swiveling her chair towards the desktop and opening up her email.

Letters were pouring onto the screen in massive waves, each with a similar question in the title. If Chat Noir wasn't dating Ladybug, then who else could he possibly like?

"Sorry about that, Chat," Alya said, turning off the desktop and turning her attention back towards him. "I think our viewers, myself included, are just a little bit confused. I thought you and Ladybug went together like peanut butter and jelly?"

Chat grinned. "Of course! I love my Lady dearly and I would do anything for her."

"Then who is this mystery girl you're crushin' on?" Alya asked.

Marinette could tell that Alya was practically gushing. This was the scoop of the century! She felt nothing but pride for her best friend. Chat, however, was going to get a little more than an earful from her when the interview was over.

"If I told you then it wouldn't be a mystery, right?" Chat leaned back in his chair and smirked, flashing a quick wink at the camera.

"Well you've heard it here first Ladybloggers! Chat Noir has a mysterious crush and it could be on anyone! Count your lucky stars girls; it could be one of you out there listening right now. Chat, before we sign off, do you have anything to say to your crush?"

Marinette panned the camera in on Chat's face as he looked into the lens with soulful eyes. She felt her heart flutter despite her annoyance. Man, he was really good at the whole 'kitten eyes' thing.

"I hope that you had a wonderful day and I'm looking forward to talking to you later tonight… _Purr_ incess." Chat was quite literally purring as the words rolled off of his tongue with ease.

"Mystery girl, we envy you!" Alya said. "Thanks again for tuning into this very exclusive interview! I hope you all enjoyed! Feel free to leave your comments below speculating who the mystery girl could be. Have a miraculous night! Alya out."

Marinette was so dumbfounded by his statement that it was a miracle she remembered to turn off the camera on Alya's cue. Originally, she just assumed he was playing some sort of mischievous game. But after he used that nickname— _her_ nickname—she wondered if he hadn't been lying after all.

"Girl!" Alya exclaimed, jumping up from her interviewing chair and nearly squealing with delight. "Can you believe the scoop I just got?"

Marinette's eyes were glued on Chat, who was staring nonchalantly at the ceiling as if he didn't notice her laser-beam focus on him. "It was quite a surprise," she muttered.

"Thank you for getting Chat to interview," Alya said. "You're the best friend a girl could have!"

Alya pulled Marinette into a tight hug, and she momentarily let go of her rage to be happy for her friend.

"You know, if I didn't know better I'd say that Chat might've been talking about you," Alya whispered.

"Too bad I like _Adrien_ ," Marinette reminded her, probably a bit too harshly.

Alya held up her hands in defense. "I know, I know. Adrien is mesmerizing, and wonderful, and everything that the greatest fairytale authors write about in human form." She peered at Chat from behind Marinette's shoulder and lowered her voice before continuing, "But Chat might be all of those things, too."

Marinette left out a soft sigh in response. Alya was only telling her things that she had been wondering herself ever since the day she accidentally hurt him. The day that he had been so dangerously close to her that she could feel every inch of his body and smell his intoxicatingly dark cologne.

But even if Chat was talking about her, Adrien was the real goal no matter how unobtainable he seemed. Marinette wasn't one to settle so easily and even though Chat was sweet, he wasn't Adrien.

"Thanks again for all of that awesome new info, Chat!" Alya said. "The _Ladyblog_ is bound to skyrocket in popularity now."

"Glad I could help, Alya," Chat said, smiling and giving her a short wave as she hurried out the door.

As soon as Marinette was sure that Alya was out of earshot, she slammed the bedroom door and glared at Chat.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

"What?" Chat blinked, feigning innocence.

"You know what!" Marinette said, her voice dangerously close to cracking. "You told the whole world that you have a crush on someone else!"

"Is that what I said?" Chat asked, cocking his head to one side.

"Stop trying to be cute!" Marinette continued.

Chat stood slowly, his gaze holding Marinette's like it was physically impossible for him to break it. "So you do think I'm cute?"

"N-no, that's not what I— I like Adrien," Marinette stammered, feeling her cheeks heat underneath his intense gaze.

"And I like Ladybug," Chat said, inching closer to her.

"So then why did you use my nickname?" she asked.

Chat dropped the sensual act as soon as the words escaped her lips. The force and passion behind them were enough to hit him clear in the middle of his chest like a freight train.

"Because," he whispered quietly. "I think I have a crush on you, too."

The silence that followed had never sounded so loud. It felt as though it was caving in on Marinette, pushing her lower and lower to the ground until she was surrounded by nothing but deafening nothingness. The weight of his words, the forlorn look on his face, all of it was so familiar that Marinette felt like she was looking in the mirror.

"It's weird and confusing, but I can't help it," Chat said.

Marinette's head felt like it was spinning. She grabbed at one pigtail and ran her hands down the length of it in an attempt to calm herself down. Chat must've caught on to her anxiety, because he quickly smiled at her and closed the gap between them.

"You don't have to say anything back," he said gently.

"Chat," Marinette breathed. "I… I—"

He put one finger to her lips and hushed her quietly. "You don't have to say anything back if you aren't ready."

Marinette sighed. "You know something, you really are sweet."

Chat grinned. "Just one of my many flavors."

Marinette stuck out her tongue as Chat tapped the tip of her nose playfully. "When you say things like that, it makes me want to take it back," she teased.

Chat took a step back and bowed gracefully in her direction. "It's been a long day and I don't want to overstay my welcome. Especially now that I've made things awkward."

"Chat—" Marinette started, but he quickly held up one hand.

"Answer when you feel ready," he said, ducking out of her window and disappearing as fast as he had appeared.

"—I think I have a crush on you too," she finished, but the whisper fell empty in the darkened room.


	7. Adrien Posters

**Quick Info~**

Sorry about the long wait guys! I just got a new job and summer classes started, so it's been keeping me pretty busy! However, I am absolutely not ready to give up on this. Marinette and Chat are just too cute for that ;) So this prompt is one of the hardest, in my opinion. Since Chat often visits Marinette, I'm sure he has to know about her crush on Adrien. And because Chat is Adrien, that makes things more than a little bit complicated. (But Adrien is such a sweet cinnamon roll that I'm sure he doesn't mind knowing about Marinette's crush on him.) So be prepared for some fluff, some teasing, and a whole lot of "I know what you're thinking but I'm not going to pressure you into saying it" stuff. Thank you again to all of the wonderful people who have been keeping up with this story! I love you guys endlessly! Hope this chapter makes up for the mini-hiatus!

* * *

 **Drabble 7: Adrien Posters**

It had been awhile since Marinette actively pursued Adrien. 'Actively pursuing' was putting it loosely of course, since the most flirting she had ever done with him was in a dream she had a week prior (in which she proceeded to stutter, trip over her own feet, and land face-first into the ice cream cone she was trying to share with him).

Part of her wondered if it had to do with Chat. Since the night that he had confessed his possible feelings to her and the rest of the world via Alya's blog, things surprisingly went back to normal. Marinette wasn't sure if she should be relieved that he was back to his goofy, flirtatious self or if she should be irritated that he seemed to get over her so quickly.

But regardless of her blossoming feelings for Paris' cheeky superhero, she still frequently checked the Agreste website. Partially because Gabriel Agreste was a fantastic designer from whom she drew inspiration, but also because old habits die hard and Adrien was still modeling for the company. Modeling, strangely enough, a brand new line of clothing that Marinette was surprised Gabriel decided to make.

She supposed she should have felt flattered. After all, seeing Adrien in red boxers with black dots was a direct nod to Ladybug's polka-dotted getup. But it wasn't seeing the Ladybug inspired outfit that made her stomach summersault inside of her. It was seeing Adrien dressed as _Chat._

He was shirtless, with a black hoodie resting on top of his perfectly coiffed hair. Two black ears stuck up brazenly from the top of the hood, with bright green trimming trailing down and along the sides of the jacket. He was smiling a bit too innocently for Chat, but Marinette still felt her heart clench in her chest.

A few hours later, after begging her parents and making up some lame excuse about needing something from the craft store, her fantasy was complete. She printed out the photo of Adrien dressed as Chat and it was pasted on a poster board hung on the ceiling above her bed.

She laid on her bed for the rest of the day with her fingers spread out along her sheets and her eyes trained on the poster like she was forced to memorize every inch of it. Her chest felt tight, like oxygen was only entering her lungs in short, quick gasps. However, she merely assumed that her crush on Adrien was coming back so fast that it must've knocked the wind out of her.

That had to be it. It had nothing to do with the fact that he was dressed as Chat Noir. Nothing to do with Chat at all.

"Well, I have to admit, he looks _purr_ etty good if I do say so myself," Chat said enthusiastically, one hand tucked under his chin as he stared up at the poster with a lopsided smile.

Marinette gasped and jolted up from her dazed daydream. She glared at Chat, hoping that the more she frowned the less red her cheeks would appear.

"So I guess knocking is a new concept to you," she huffed.

"I did knock," Chat said, blinking innocently. "You just didn't answer, and I guess I know why now."

He gestured to the Adrien poster smugly.

"Oh this? No. This… It's just, well, umm, it's nothing. I mean, it's for a project. For fashion. I mean, umm, for school. Yeah. A project for school," Marinette stuttered, scrambling off of the bed and trying to avert his attention from Adrien's giant, dazzling grin staring down at them.

"So why are you here?" Marinette asked after what felt like the most awkward silence of her young life. (And if she was being honest, she's had her fair share of those.)

"Ladybug skipped out on patrol," Chat said, shrugging. "I had some time to kill so I figured I'd drop by and see my favorite Princess!"

"I thought I was your _only_ Princess?" Marinette raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest.

Chat laughed and reached out one hand to muss up her hair. "Of course you are, and that automatically makes you my favorite!"

Marinette could practically feel Tikki's 'I-told-you-so' expression burning a hole through her purse on the nightstand. She warned Marinette that patrol was tonight, and of course, Marinette promised Tikki that she would be back with more than enough time to spare. But if Chat couldn't even get her attention by knocking on her sky light, then how on earth was a little kwami supposed to snap her out of her daydream? Ladybug definitely owed Chat an apology this time.

"So you really like this guy, huh?" Chat asked, turning his attention back towards the poster.

"I thought I did," Marinette mumbled.

"I've been to your room enough times to know that this poster is a new addition. It even looks homemade. Why would you go through all of that trouble unless you really liked him?" Chat pressed.

Marinette wanted to tell him that she had been asking herself that same question for the past couple of hours. But admitting something like that to Chat was more or less admitting it to herself, too. She had had a crush on Adrien since they first met. Surely the sparks couldn't have died that quickly!

"Or is it because he's dressed like me?"

The question came off casually and goofily flirtatious, like almost everything that Chat Noir said, but the weight of his words made Marinette feel as though he had punched her in the gut. It was a heavy realization—the kind that made you feel as though whatever was dragging you helplessly through the torture of your own mind just sort of…stopped.

But before Marinette had time to bask in the weight lifted off of her chest, butterflies invaded every crevice of her stomach and a searing, crimson blush crept across every pore, every freckle, and every inch of her skin on her cheeks. She felt like fainting and slapping Chat and maybe even kissing him all at once.

"I think there's something I need to tell you," Marinette said, her eyes glued to the floor as she twiddled her thumbs clasped together nervously.

She could feel Chat Noir staring at her, the deep green of his irises urging her to just look up at him already. But the longer she stared at the ground, the longer she could feel the same insecurities she got around Adrien suffocating her.

"Mari," Chat said, tentatively placing one hand on her shoulder while the other gently tipped her chin towards him.

Two bluebell eyes blinked nervously. He felt his heart flutter and nearly lost his footing as he steadied himself on Marinette's shoulder. Whatever words he was planning on saying were already swept up in a tidal wave of nervous, bombarding thoughts. So he simply looked at her and tried to memorize the way she was looking at him.

Gently.

Apprehensively.

Almost like the way he looked at Ladybug and the way she looked at Adrien.

Marinette wasn't good with words, and Adrien—even as Chat Noir—was having a difficult time himself. So he swallowed whatever floundering, pun-related response he was thinking of, and decided instead to let his actions speak louder than his words.

One tiny, hesitant kiss on the cheek later and the pair were both stunned into silence. Marinette's hand flung up to her face, fingertips gently brushing the soft skin there. Even Chat found himself tracing his lower lip, his eyes dancing between hers.

"I hope your project for school goes well," he said, knowingly winking at her.

He knew. For all intents and purposes, he knew about her crush.

"I hope so, too," she whispered.

And she knew that he was well aware of what she wanted to say.


	8. Dancing

**Quick Info~**

It's finally here! The chapter I've been waiting to post since I got the idea for the "Protective Chat" drabble! It's filled with cheese, symbolism, adorable Tom and Sabine, a hint of DJWifi, and lots of Marichat fluff. I hope you guys are ready for the two most adorably clueless people in Paris, because I know I wasn't. ;) Also, I've unfortunately never been to France. I did a little bit of research on the Eiffel Tower since that is where the dance is being held this chapter. I'm sure some things are off, but that's what imagination is for! So if you've been to Paris or live there, please excuse anything that might seem 'off' about hosting a dance on top of an extremely tall structure. Big thank you to everyone who stuck with this and to new readers as well! Hope you guys enjoy, it is most definitely one of my favorites.

* * *

 **Drabble 8: Dancing** (directly connected with Drabble 4)

"You look so beautiful!" Sabine gushed, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Marinette's ear. "Oh, come here, Tom! Doesn't she look all grown up?"

Tom emerged from around the corner, brushing flour-covered hands on his apron. When he looked up at Marinette, a soft smile quirked his lips and the laugh lines around his eyes creased.

"Not _too_ grown up yet, but definitely beautiful," Tom said.

"You've hardly told us anything about this dance, Mari," Sabine said. "Is it for school?"

"Does that mean there's a boy at school we should keep our eyes open for?" Tom added, trying to put on his best protective father expression.

"Well, not exact—" Marinette started.

"Is it Adrien?" Sabine asked.

"Nice boy," Tom agreed.

"Well, I'm not going with—"

"Looks like our little fashion designer could marry into the perfect family for her career!" Tom said.

"And you two just look so good together!" Sabine exclaimed.

"Mama, Papa, please just listen," Marinette said, slapping one hand to her forehead and sighing impatiently.

Sabine and Tom shared a look of concern before waiting for Marinette to continue. She took a deep breath and wiped her hands on the front of her dress anxiously. How was she supposed to tell them that Chat Noir roped her into being his date? And even if they did believe that part—which was pretty unlikely seeing as Chat was, in a sense, famous—then they would have hundreds, if not thousands, of questions about him. Where did they meet? How long have they known each other? Are they a couple?

And Marinette knew damn well that she couldn't just tell them that she fights as Chat's partner in her free time or that his relationship with Marinette (as herself) blossomed due to her direct involvement with an akuma attack. To put it lightly, her parents would go absolutely ballistic, and Chat didn't deserve that.

Before Marinette had enough time to explain, a knock on the door diverted her parents' attention and she felt her stomach drop. There was no way that Chat would be stupid enough to knock on their front door!

But two collective gasps and one bad pun later proved Marinette wrong. She opened her eyes to peer out through the slits between her fingers in order to confirm her greatest fear. Chat was standing there, with a bouquet in one arm and chocolates in the other, beaming at Sabine and Tom like they had known each other for years.

" _Purr_ incess," Chat said, taking a step back and bowing dramatically. "Your carriage awaits!"

"Oh, umm, thanks," Marinette mumbled, trying her best to smile.

Tom's eyes darted between Chat, Sabine, and Marinette rapidly, as if he wasn't sure whom to question first. Sabine was smiling, in that perfectly collected way of hers, but inside Marinette could tell she was panicking.

"So, Chat Noir," Sabine said slowly, evenly drawing out the syllables of each word. "How do you know my daughter?"

Chat's eyes instantly lit up and he flashed both of Marinette's parents a smile so bright and charismatic that Marinette wanted to swoon and gag him all at the same time.

"Sorry for showing up so unexpectedly," he said earnestly. "I actually ended up protecting Marinette awhile back, which is when we met."

"You…saved her?" Tom asked.

Chat nodded. "Well, not that she really needed me. She's one tough cookie. But I'm sure you know that, since you own a bakery."

Marinette wanted to crawl under a rock and hide there for the next millennium. She watched in horror as her parents' expressions went from one of concern to one of delight. He already had them, hook, line, and sinker.

"Marinette, why didn't you ever tell us that you knew one of Paris' finest superheroes?" Tom asked.

"He's so funny!" Sabine said. "And he cleans up nicely, too."

Marinette couldn't argue with that. She half-expected him to show up in his typical crime-fighting garb. But instead, he was wearing a tuxedo with a single red rose pinned to his suit jacket. Marinette wondered how he knew she was going to wear a red dress, but the fashion designer inside of her was simply delighted that they were going to match so well.

"I'd tell you to make sure you take care of our little girl, but I'm sure you have more than enough experience," Tom said.

"That may be, sir, but I'd still put my life on the line to make sure nothing bad will happen to her," Chat said. "Well, shall we go?"

"You two have fun! And if you're ever looking for a quick snack, you're welcome here anytime, Chat," Sabine said.

"Now that's a _paw_ esome offer I'll just have to take you up on," Chat said, grinning widely.

He extended his hand to Marinette, who was staring back at him with wide eyes. She tentatively grabbed his hand and turned to offer her parents a small smile before they headed out the door.

Once Sabine and Tom were out of earshot, Marinette's smile faded and she yanked her hand out of his.

"What were you thinking?!" Marinette asked incredulously. "Now they're never going to stop hounding me about you!"

Chat looked taken back, even a little bit hurt. "What kind of date would I be if I didn't introduce myself as the person they trusted to accompany you tonight?"

Marinette's shoulders slumped and she sighed. He was right. In fact, she was sure that her parents would have bombarded her with even more questions if Chat hadn't shown up.

"You're right. I'm sorry, Kitty. I guess I'm just a little bit nervous," Marinette admitted.

Chat smiled and grabbed her hand gently before lacing his fingers with hers. "No need to be nervous. I'll show you the best time. Cat's _purr_ omise!"

He crossed his fingers over his heart in the same way that elementary school children would on the playground. In a way, it made Marinette believe him even more.

"Hold on tight to me, okay?" Chat instructed as he stepped towards her.

She nodded, curling her fingers on the neckline of his white dress shirt. His skin was hot to the touch despite the chilly night air, and it made Marinette shiver. He widened his stance and bent his knees before scooping Marinette into his arms and propelling them both towards the nearest rooftop.

"I guess this is more adventurous than a limousine!" Marinette yelled against the force of the wind.

Chat laughed, loudly and fully, and Marinette felt her heart clench in her chest. The other times that Chat had hopped with her across rooftops had never felt quite like it did that night. She felt more alive, like every step they took pumped her body full of nervous butterflies and awe. She couldn't help but stare at Chat like he was the most wonderful thing she had ever seen in her life. He was darting through the air with ease, a confident smile plastered on his face. She wondered why she never quite noticed it before.

"Alright, we're here!" Chat said, and Marinette tore her eyes away from his face just long enough to realize that he was right.

The top of the Eiffel Tower was festooned with twinkling lights and glittery masquerade masks. Despite the limited space, partygoers still seemed at ease. Marinette felt a little bit dizzy, but she wasn't sure whether that was because of Chat or the height.

"You did bring a mask, right?" Chat asked.

"Of course! What kind of aspiring designer would I be if I didn't stick with the theme?" she teased, fishing through her purse and pulling out a mask as cherry red as her dress.

Chat's eyes widened when he looked at her and she quickly felt self-conscious.

"Does it look bad?" she asked.

"Wha…? Um, no. No. It's not that. It's just, umm, you look familiar," Chat said, awkwardly dropping his gaze to the floor as his cheeks heated.

It didn't take long for Marinette to realize why she was able to reduce Chat to a stuttering pile of mush. She could practically hear Tikki reprimanding her for choosing a mask so similar to Ladybug.

"What can I say? I guess I'm kind of a Ladybug fan." Marinette laughed awkwardly as she scratched the back of her head.

Chat's embarrassed expression softened and he reached out one hand to ruffle her hair. "I always knew you liked M'lady, too!" Chat said.

Marinette batted his hand away to smooth her hair back into place before offering him a sheepish smile.

"Girl, you look stunning!" Alya exclaimed, hugging Marinette from behind.

"You're one to talk! You look like you're the queen or something!"

Alya was wearing a floor length, midnight blue dress. Her hair was pulled to the side and cascaded down in a loose, curly braid. Nino was standing beside her in a matching tuxedo.

"You went with Nino?" Marinette whispered as she pulled Alya aside.

"Yeah, but Nino is hardly the 411 scoop right now. You went with _Chat Noir_! Girl, you've got it bad," Alya whispered back, smiling knowingly.

"N-no!" Marinette squeaked defensively. "We're just friends. He just… Well, there was this thing with Nathanael and then Chat was just there and then he impressed my parents and now we're here. But I'm not, like, I don't… We're not in love!"

Alya raised an eyebrow at her and opened her mouth to object.

"Sorry to interrupt," Chat said. "Princess, may I have this next dance?"

Marinette could practically feel Alya jumping out of her skin in excitement beside her. She internally rolled her eyes at her best friend, and tried to ignore the eruption of butterflies in her stomach when she grabbed Chat Noir's hand.

"I'm not so great at dancing," Marinette said.

Chat squeezed her hand. "Don't worry. I'll lead."

"Somehow I don't think that'll be better," Marinette mumbled.

Chat simply chuckled and placed one hand on the small of her back. The other clasped her hand in the air as he began to move around the dance floor in uncharacteristically graceful movements.

Marinette felt like she was flying. He was spinning her in dizzying circles, but she knew that wasn't the reason her insides were fluttering. She even forgot to keep counting how many times she stepped on his feet the longer they danced.

She also didn't notice how close they were getting until her cheek was pressed against his chest and his hands were lazily tracing patterns on the exposed skin on her back. He was humming softly, and Marinette suspected that he had been the entire time since the air felt strangely silent when he stopped.

"Princess," Chat said. "You really are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."

Marinette let out a long sigh, giggling quietly. "Because I look like Ladybug with this mask on?"

She felt his thumb brush against her chin, tilting her face towards him. He was staring at her with the softest expression she had ever seen. His fingers ghosted over her cheek and rested on the elastic band holding the mask to her face.

"No," he said, his voice firm yet gentle. "Because you're so _Marinette_."

One flick of his clawed finger and the elastic band holding mask together broke in half. It dropped to their feet with a quiet thud and Marinette stared up at him questioningly. She was so confused that she didn't even notice his lips on hers until a rush of warmth moved through her body.

It was simple and hesitant at first, like he was merely testing the waters. Marinette's eyes fluttered shut and her hands slid up his chest to cup the back of his neck. It was effortless and strangely natural.

She had kissed him once before, but in the heat of the akuma attack she hadn't really thought much of it. But kissing him here and now as Marinette, with the night air prickling her skin and his thumbs brushing across her cheeks, it was almost like she was connecting with the final missing piece of a puzzle.

When Chat finally pulled away, it took a moment before he opened his eyes again. She was staring up at him, dazed and confused, with eyes sparkling brighter than the Eiffel Tower.

"You know, I tried to think of a pun that would go along with this moment," Chat mused, pulling Marinette in for a hug.

"Aw, what's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" Marinette asked.

Chat's eyes widened and he squeezed her tighter. "Yeah, looks like it. But I'm hoping that you will later, too."

Marinette slapped his chest playfully, but he didn't let her go. And he was more than positive that he'd feel that way for a long time to come.


	9. Movie Night

**Quick Info** ~

Another chapter! Slightly a guilty-pleasure drabble, as the movie I used is one of my all-time favorite movies. Also, I love the hilarity that ensues when you realize a Little Mermaid AU would work pretty well with Miraculous. Has anyone done that yet? I even let the return of #LetAdrienEat2k16 make a quick comeback (as well as the beginnings of some MariChat sin). ;) Biiiiig hug and thank you to everyone reading this! Seriously, I couldn't do it without your love and support!

* * *

 **Drabble 9: Movie Night**

Chat Noir noticed a few things when he happened to end up on Marinette's balcony one evening. First, he watched as Marinette disappointedly threw her phone onto her bed, running her fingers through her hair and puffing out her cheeks exasperatedly. Second, he noticed the mass amounts of blankets strewn about her bedroom. And third, two giant buckets of popcorn and a plate of cookies left unattended on the floor.

Marinette bent down and picked up the remote before switching off the monitor on her desk. She knew that it was stupid to plan a movie night this close to final exams, but she couldn't help it. Alya needed a break, and God only knew Marinette was up to her eyeballs in late assignments _and_ her duties as Ladybug. But despite everything, she really did think it was a good idea.

Yes, it was a good idea…until Alya got sick and had to cancel, like she did every year finals came around. Marinette's confident best friend, who wrote the most popular (and therefore most stress-inducing) Ladybug blog, only got bogged down by stress over final exams every year since the first year they met. Marinette was positive that Alya would be able to singlehandedly stop a moving car without blinking an eye. But when it came to conjugating Spanish verbs or remembering the formula for the Pythagorean theorem, the stress was enough to leave Alya's stomach in knots for weeks.

So Marinette was left alone with more popcorn than she could fit in her entire body and a quickly cooling plate of fresh cookies from the bakery. Well, she was alone _until_ she heard the familiar rapping of cat claws on her window.

"You know," Marinette started as she opened the window to let Chat inside. "I'm actually happy you're here."

Chat smiled cheekily. "I just happened to be in the neighborhood and saw that a certain Princess was abandoned on a movie night."

"Not abandoned, really," Marinette said. "Alya just got sick and had to cancel."

"Well, luckily for you, I know a guy who's got two opposable thumbs and won't complain if you pick a chick flick," Chat said.

"Last time I checked, cats don't have opposable thumbs, Kitty," Marinette teased, reaching one finger out and lightly tapping Chat on the nose.

"Well either way, I promise to only eat my fair share of the popcorn. You're going to have to fight me over the cookies, though," Chat said, absently licking his lips as he stared at the chocolate chip heap on the floor.

"I know this is going to be cheesy, but Alya and I were hoping to relive a little bit of our childhood tonight." Marinette pointed the remote back at the monitor and waited for the all-too-familiar castle graphic to appear on screen.

"Which one is it?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

"The Little Mermaid," Marinette said, dropping her gaze to the floor as she tried to hide the embarrassed blush creeping up on her cheeks.

She half-expected Chat to scoff or call her childish. Instead, his eyes lit up and he immediately planted himself on the floor in front of the screen, soaking in every detail as if it was the last time he was ever going to see it.

"I've never seen this before," he admitted.

"Are you serious?" Marinette asked incredulously. "This was one of my favorite movies growing up! I can't believe you haven't seen it."

In reality, Chat wasn't surprised that he hadn't seen it. When his mother was still around, they often went to the cinema as a family, but at home he didn't spend a lot of time watching television. He much preferred to spend days pretend sword fighting with his father or watching his mother play the piano. When everything changed—when Gabriel changed—Adrien threw himself into so many activities that he wasn't even sure if they had a television in his house anymore.

"So what's it about?" Chat whispered as Marinette sat down next to him.

She crinkled her nose as she popped a cookie into her mouth. "You're one of _those_ movie-watchers?"

"Can't blame me for trying to get the plot down in case I get distracted later." Chat was practically purring, his green eyes lighting up the dark room and sending a shiver down Marinette's spine.

"It's about a mermaid who is in love with a human, but her father thinks that humans aren't trustworthy," Marinette said.

"Ah, I got it," Chat said, lowering his voice. "A little bit of forbidden love. Sounds a lot like another Princess I know."

"Don't push your luck, Kitty, or this popcorn is getting stuck in that messy hair of yours."

The beginning of the movie went off without a hitch, despite Chat's flirtatious teasing and the weirdly warm feeling bubbling low in Marinette's stomach. He was content to sit beside her, swaying ever so slightly to the music and shoveling cookies into his mouth like some sort of vacuum. Then he'd shift one way or the other, cross and uncross his legs, or sprawl out on his stomach and then on top of Marinette's lap. Fidgety, she thought.

"How does he not realize that she's the same person who sang to him earlier?" Chat asked suddenly, sitting up completely straight and pointing an accusatory finger at the screen.

"He nearly died. I'm surprised he has any memory of her voice at all," Marinette countered, crossing her arms over her chest.

No one was going to make fun of one of her favorite movies, whether it was complete with endearing plot holes or not.

"Well if I ever saw someone as beautiful as you, I'd instantly know who it was," Chat said.

"Oh yeah?" She raised an eyebrow and giggled quietly to herself.

"Of course," he said proudly. "In fact, I wouldn't even need three days to want to kiss you."

He was getting closer, one clawed finger lazily trailing up her thigh and leaving goose bumps in it's wake. She swallowed the nervous lump growing in her throat and turned her head to the side bashfully.

"O-oh yeah?" she squeaked.

Apparently, it was the only phrase she could muster.

If she wanted to fight Chat's kiss, she was already failing horribly. The hot feeling in her stomach seeped through every part of her body, igniting her veins and sending her tumbling headfirst against his lips.

Their first kiss had been tender and hesitant, as if they were merely testing the waters. But this kiss was something different entirely. Marinette felt it from the top of her head to the tingling in her toes. The way his lips moved against hers made her feel like they were dancing. He was every bit as smooth and graceful as she was clumsy and awkward, but it worked.

She didn't realize what her hands were doing until she heard him let out a low grumble from the back of his throat. Her fingers were tangling themselves in his hair, faintly tugging whenever his claws would trace nonsensical patterns on her bare skin.

"M-Mari—" he breathed against her lips, lightly nipping her kiss-swollen skin.

"Looks like Ursula couldn't stop you," she whispered back, feeling dizzy and faint and like she wanted to lock herself in the ice compartment of the freezer for the next couple of hours.

Chat laughed, a shaky, recovering sound that quickly bubbled into an all-out roar. Marinette shook her head, pushing him playfully off of her and grabbing a handful of popcorn.

"I _am_ rubbing off on you!" he exclaimed excitedly, gasping for air as he clutched as his sides.

Marinette threw the handful of popcorn in his general direction, unable to keep the grin off of her lips. Alright, she had to admit that maybe her joke _was_ kind of Chat-Noir-lame.

His expression softened and he reached out his arms to wrap around her waist with his signature 'I'm ready for a nap' yawn. The colors from the movie were flashing dimly on the carpet, even managing to lull Marinette into a half-conscious stupor.

When she finally woke up (or rather, when Chat Noir was shaking her shoulders to get her to wake up) he was staring at the rolling credits bleakly.

"We must've fallen asleep." Marinette yawned, rubbing one eye with the heel of her palm.

"Now I don't know if they ended up together," Chat said, sighing.

Marinette smiled softly and took his hand.

"Well, do you think two people from different worlds could end up together?" she asked.

Chat's sad expression faded and was replaced with a goofy, lopsided grin.

"I'm hoping that's what will happen," he said.

She let out a soft squeak as he brought her hand to his lips. Normally, she'd bat him away playfully or give him a witty retort. But instead, all she could do was stare at him and hope for the exact same thing he was.


End file.
